Machine for closing and sealing bags and like containers



1936- r I A.'H. MAYNARD 3 MACHINE FOR CLOSING AND SEALING BAGS AND LIKE CONTAINERS Fil ed Oct. 26, 1952 5 Shts-Sheet 1 M 23,- 19 A. H. MAYNA D 2,@4539?7 MACHINE FOR CLOSING AND SEALING BAGS AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 26; 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 23,1936. 7 A. H. MAYNARD 6 3 MACHINE FOR CLOSING AND SEALING BAGS AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 26, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Luz/21,702:

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Patented June 23, 1936 UNETED STATES PATENT. OFFICE MACHINE FOR CLOSING AND SEALING BAGS AND LIKE CONTAINERS Arthur H. Maynard, Warwick, R. I., assignor to Boston Wire Stitcher Company,

Portland,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to machines or apparatus for closing and sealing the mouths of bags, sacks, tubular envelopes or like containers used for holding foodstuffs, confectionery and other merchandise.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine or apparatus of the type specified for closing the ends of tubular containers such, for example, as those made of the material known as Cellophane.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine or apparatus of the type specified for gathering the mouths of the containers and crimping their edges in folds to be bound by 2.

- cord, string or metal fastener such as a wire staple.

Another object of the invention is, to provide a machine of the type specified which may be operated either manually or by power to automatically close the mouths of the containers as they are fed thereto. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type specified which may be embodied in a stapling or stitching machine to be operated concurrently therewith to close the mouths of the containers and stitch or staple together the folded edges thereof.

Further objects of the invention are. set forth in the following specification which describes two preferred forms of construction of the apparatus, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of the bag-closing apparatus combined with a stitching or stapling machine and connected to be operated by the foot-treadle thereof;

Fig. '2 is a plan View of the bag-closing apparatus shown as attached to the lower arm of the stapling machine;

Fig. 3v is a similar view showing the method of operation of the apparatus on a tubular container or bag;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of the same taken on line it-+4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus shown as adapted to be used on a bench or table and operated manually;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. '7.is a vertical sectional View of the same taken on line 'l-l of Fig. 5; and a Fig. 8 is a viewshowing the bag or container with its mouth closed and its edges crimped by the machine.

In accordance with modern methods of packcontainers are manufactured in the shape of flat tubes or envelopes with either one or both ends left open and their surfaces printed with indicia to show the origin of the goods contained therein.

Heretofore, it has been the usual practice to close such tubular containers, bags or envelopes by hand and to fasten their gathered ends by tying a cord or the like therearound. To economize in the labor and cost of packaging the goods in the preferred manner described the present invention provides an apparatus or machine into which the open ends of the flexible bags or containers may be inserted and gathered together to be fastened by a cord or wire, the latter in the form of a staple enclosing the neckof the bag. In one preferred form of construction of the invention the bag-closing apparatus is embodied in a stapling or stitching machine tobe operated concurrently with the stapling mechanism thereof so that at one operation the mouth of the bag is gathered and closed and at the same operation a previously closed bag is stapled or stitched to seal its mouth.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the present drawings, the stapling machine herein illustrated is mounted on a column or standard 2 rising from a base 3 and having a horizontal arm projecting at the top to provide a rest or support for the work. Stapling mechanism, indicated generally at l in Fig. 1, is carried in a head 5' at the outer end of an arm 8 which is pivoted to the top of the column 2 at 9. The stapling mechanism may comprise a reciprocable staple-driver l actuated by a plunger ll slidably mounted at the forward end of the arm 8. The stapling arm 8 serves as a magazine for a supply of staples, indicated at s in Fig. 1, which are fed along an interior trackway or staple-core l2 by means of a pusher l3 slidable on the arm. The staple-pusher l3 is drawn forwardly under the pull of a spring l4 attached thereto at l and terminating in a volute coil [5 held between the sides of the stapling head 5 on the arm 8. For the present type of work, U- shaped staples having arched tops are employed to adapt their legs to straddle the neck of the closed bag or container to be bent therearound. In clinching the staples around the neck of a bag or container the stapling arm 8 is rocked to carry its head 5 down against an anvil-block or die I! having a notch or opening in which the crimped neck of the bag is held. The anvil I! is mounted on an arm l8 rising from the horizontal arm or work-support 4 of the machine. The details of the stapling and clinching means of the machine are more fully shown and described in a separate application, Serial No. 641,346, filed November 5, 1932.

The stapling arm 8 is swung on its pivot 93 by means of a pair of bow-shaped levers 26 which may be actuated by power or, as herein shown, connected to be oscillated from a foot-treadle 2|. The levers 26 are pivoted on the same pivot '9 as the arm 8 and their forward ends are pivotally connected to the plunger The plunger H is held in elevated position by a spring of usual arrangement not herein illustrated. The lower ends of the levers 20 are pivotally connected at 22 to a pair of links 23 having their opposite ends pivoted at 24 to a member 25 adjustable on the upper end of arod 26. The lower end of the rod 26 is adjustably and pivotally connected to the rearward end of the treadle 2 I, which latter is pivoted at 21 to the base 3 of the standard 2. A helical spring 39 having one end hooked into a lug 3| on the member 25 is anchored at its opposite end to a stud 32screwed into the side of the standard 2. The spring 36 pulls on the member 25 to draw the rod '26 downwardly to maintain the foottreadle 2| with its forward end raised and the stapling arm 8 elevated as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The rod 26 is also connected to operate the bag-closing apparatus through means hereinafter described.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, the bag-closing device or apparatus comprises, in essence, an apertured or slotted guideway for receiving the mouth of the bag or container and a slide or plunger slidable therein for gathering and crimping the edges of the bag while its mouth is confined in the guideway.

The guideway for the mouth of the bag may be constituted by overlying plates 35 and 36, see Fig. 4, held in. spaced, parallel relationship by an intermediate strip 31 with the parts secured together by screws or bolts 38. The low-er or base plate 35 may be wider than the upper plate 36 to adapt it to be secured to the top of the work support or arm 4 of the stapling machine by means of bolts 39. The two opposite spaced plates Y35 and 36 are thus secured in place to overhang the side of the arm 4 in position to permit the mouth of the bag to be insertedinto the opening or guideway therebetween. Preferably, the lateral edges of the plates 35 and 36 are rounded or beveled as shown at 40 to provide a rentrant mouth for facilitating the insertion of the edges of the mouth of .the bag into the guideway. The forward end of the guideway is closed by a plate or abutment 4| held by a screw 42. The end plate or abutment 4| is preferably slottedat 43 to adapt it to be adjusted longitudinally of the guideway, for a purpose as later explained, by loosening the screw 42.

The plunger 'or' compressor slide 45 consists in a flat bar or plate of a thickness to adapt it to slide freely within the space between the opposed plates 35 and 36. The plunger or slide 45 is slotted longitudinally at 46 to adapt its sides to straddle a pair of screws 41 in the plates 35 and 36 which hold it in position during its sliding movement in the guideway. Preferably, the screws 4! extend through washers 44 which act as rollers engaging the sides of the slot 46 to provide for an easy sliding motion of the slide or plunger. The forward end of the plunger 45 and the opposite end of the end plate 4| are rounded on their outer corners to adapt them to conform to the neck of the bag at the points where it is gathered in from the sides and to prevent the cutting or mutilation of the material of the bag.

The rearward end of the slide or plunger 45 is provided on the top with trunnion-blocks or bearings 48 through which extends a cross-pin 49. The cross-pin 49 carries a roller 56 disposed between the sides of the blocks 46 and adapted to engage with a slot 5| in a curved lever 52. The lever 52 is pivoted on a pin 53 which projects from the side of the column 2 with its outer end held in an arm 54 bolted to the column at 55. The lower end of the lever 52 is pivotally connected at 56 to a link 51, the opposite end of which is connected to the operating levers 20 for the stapling arm 8 by means of the pin 22. A cross-link 58 extends from the pivot-pin 24 on the member 25 at the end of the rod 26 to the pivot-pin 53 of the lever 52; this whole series of links and levers serving as connections for rocking the levers 26 and the lever 52 from the vertical movement of the rod 26 actuated by the treadl-e 2|.

As a convenience for holding and guiding the bags or containers in feeding them into the mouth-closing apparatus a shelf or rest 60 may be provided at the side of the guideway. In Fig. 4 the shelf 60 is illustrated in the form of a fiat sheet-metal plate bent to form an offset at 6| withits end portion 62 adapted to abut the underside of the lower plate 35 to be held thereagainst by a strip or cleat 63. As shown in Fig. 1, the cleat 63 extends throughout the greater part of the length of the lower plate 35, being secured thereto by means of the screws or bolts 42 and 41, previously referred to. The offset end portion 62 of the rest or shelf 60 is inserted between the cleat 63 and the underside of the plate 35 and the screws 42 and 41 tightened to lock it in place. By loosening the screws the shelf may be removed when not required, for example, when filled bags or containers of considerable bulk are being fed to the apparatus.

The above described form of construction of the invention is designed particularly for use with wire stitching or stapling machines as indicated, but in other instances the device may be constructed in the form of a bench apparatus to be used in closing bags or containers which are tied with a cord or string to seal their ends. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 illustrate this latter modified form of the apparatus wherein the guideway for the mouth of the bag is constructed in substantially the same manner asbefore described and adapted to be mounted on any convenient support. Referring to these latter 'views the guideway comprises a bottom plate 65 adapted to be attached to any suitable support such as a block, indicated at 61 in Fig. 7, by means of screws 68. Extending longitudinally of the top of the plate 65 along the lateral edge thereof is a strip 69 of relatively narrow width to which is attached the upper plate 66 by means of screws or bolts 10. At either end of the guideway are fixed stops or abutments 1| comprising relatively narrow plates secured in place by screws or bolts 12 extending through both the top plate 66 and bottom plate 65. Overlying the abutment plates 1| beneath the outer edge of the top plate 66 is a longitudinal strip 14 fastened to the top plate by the screws 12 and a shorter screw 13. The bottom face of the strip 14 forms the upper wall of the guideway into 75 which the mouths of the bags are inserted. By the form of construction above described slots or ways areprovided between the forward longitudinal strip 14 and the rearward strip 69' in which is slidably mounted the plunger or compressor slide 15. 1

Theplunger or slide 15 is constructed in the form of a flat bar having a tubular handle 8| projecting at right-angles to its end. The slide 15 is held raised above the bottom plate 65 by the end plates or abutments H and riveted to its underside is a cross-strip or head 16 which projects laterally into the guideway to adapt it to slide back and forth betweenthe abutments The forward lateral edge of the bottom plate 65 is rounded offat 11 and the under edge of the strip '14 is also beveled or rounded at 18 to provide that the ends-of the bags or containers may be readily entered into the guideway. The inner corners of the end plates H are rounded off at I9 and both forward corners of the cross-strip or head 16 are likewise rounded off at 80 to prevent sharp edges liable toabrade or tear the bags or tubular envelopes as their mouths are gathered in folds and crimped together; it being understood that with the form of construction last describedthe plunger or slide 15 may be moved in either direction to close the mouth of the bag. The end of the bag or envelope B is inserted into the guideway'with the side of its mouth against the left-hand plate or abutment H when the slide I isretracted in the position as illustrated in Fig. 5. If preferred, however, the bag may be inserted with its side against the opposite or right-hand end plate or abutment with the plunger drawn outwardly to be thereafter pushed in to close the mouth of the bag.

As in the form of construction of the apparatus previously described, it' has been found convenient to provide a shelf or rest for the'bags or containers in feeding them intothe guideway of the apparatus. -As shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the shelf or rest 85 takes the form of a thin sheet-metal plate having an offset portion 36 for insertion under the bottom plate 65 with suitably positioned holes therein for receiving the screws 58.

For some purposes it has been found more convenient'to have the shelf or plate bent or shaped to a curve rising upwardly from the top face of the bottom plate 65 so that the bags may be more '1 1 of the drawings. Y Referring. to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the bag or container B in the form of a flat'tube or envelope is laidupon the shelf or rest 60 and its end inserted into the guideway between the plates" and 36 with the edges of its mouth abutting the strip 31; it being understood that with the machine at rest as illustrated in Fig. 1 the plunger or slide is retracted in the guideway. upon the treadle 2| to slide the rod 26 upwardly against the tension of the spring 3|) and through this action the links 23, 51, and 58 operate with 'a toggle effect to rock the upper arm of the lever 52 to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. The actuation The operator presses his foot of the lever 52 in this manner causes the plunger or slide 45 to be slid forward in the guidewaywith its end engaging the side of the mouth of the bag B to gather the edges thereof in folds as they are confined between the plates 35 and 36. The plunger 45 is carried forwardly with considerable force so that as the mouth of the bag is gathered together the folds thereof will be compressed and creased or crimped in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The operator then grasps the folded neck of the bag between his fingers and removes its crimped mouth from the guideway as pressure is released from the pedal 2| to allow the rod 26 to be drawn downwardly bythe spring 30. This movement of the rod 26 acts to rock the lever 52 to rearward position to withdraw the plunger 45 until the end of its slot 46 brings 'up against the roller 44 on the screw 41, see'Fig. 2.

' The above described operation is now repeated L by'placing another bag or container B on the shelf with itsmouth in the guideway, and

meanwhile thebag which has been previously closed is taken from the shelf and its folded neck inserted into the slot or opening in the anvil H,

see Fig. 3. Then, as the treadle 2| is again depressed, the bag resting on the shelf Gilwith its mouth in the guideway is closed in the manner as previously explained while the previously closed bag is sealed by, applying a wire staple around its neck." The stapling of the neck of the bag is ac-' complished as the stapling arm 8 is rocked downwardly to bring its head 5 against the top of the anvil it being understood that the spring acting on the plunger holds the latter elevated until.

the stapling head brings up against the anvil. The downward movementof the stapling arm 8 is effected by the rocking movement of the levers 25! connected to the rod 25 by the links 23 and as soon as the bottom of the stapling head impinges upon thetop of the anvil continued movement'of the levers 20 will carry the plunger downwardly. ,The descent of the plunger forces the staple-driver l0 downwardly to drive the staple s, previously fed therebeneath, into the opening in the anvil H with its legs straddling the neck of the bag. The rounded bottom of the slot in the anvil causes the legs of the staple to be bent or clinched around the neck of the bag to securely seal its closed mouth; the operation of carried on continuously to close the mouth of one bagand staple the neck of a previously closed bag at each actuation of the machine by means of ;the foot-treadle 2|. In this way the bags or containers may be closed and sealed very rapidly with one operator attending the machine.

fUsually,-the flat tubular containers are open at both ends and after closing and sealing one end they are taken to another location for'filling. After receiving the material or merchandise to be packaged'the ends of the bags left open for filling are closed and sealed in thesame manner as above explained, it being usually more convenient to remove the shelf 60 if the contents of the containers are of any considerable bulk to interfere with the insertion of their mouths into the guideway. In other instances the containers may be in the form of bags sealed or closed at one end by a fold or otherwise, in which case only one operation of the machine is required to close the opposite end.

In order to render the bag-closingmeans adaptable for containers of different sizes, or whereof the material is of greater or less thick ness, the end member or abutment M in theguideway may be adjusted in relation to the end of the plunger or slide 45 when the latter is at the end of its operative stroke. The adjustment of the end plate or member 4| is accomplished by releasing the screw 42 to allow the member to be slid between the plates 35 and 36 to regulate the width of the space between the end of the member 4| and the end of the plunger 45 when the latter reaches the end of its stroke as defined by the range of action of the lever'52 which is rocked with the stapling mechanism actuating levers 20.

In the modified form of bag-closing apparatus illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 a supply of the fiat bags or envelopes are placed in a stack on the'shelf 85, as indicated by dash lines in Fig. 5, with their ends resting against the stop 81. The operator draws the containers forward from the stack and slides them on the shelf 85 to insert their mouths into the guideway between the opposed plates 65 and 66. After the container B has been placed in position in this manner the handle 8| is drawn forward to slide the plunger T5 in its ways whereby to cause its cross-strip or-fhead 16 to engage against the side of the bag to gather the edges of its mouth and crimp them "together in the manner as shown graphically in Fig. 8. With this form of apparatus the operator may feed the bags forwardly on the shelf" '85 and insert their open ends into the guideway with'one hand while the other hand is used to operate the plunger T5 to gather the mouths of the bags and crimp their edges. After the bags have been closed in this manner they may be bound with a cord or string or sealed by stapling in'a separate machine if desired.

It will be observed from the foregoing that my invention provides an extremely'simple and ingenious apparatus for closing and sealing the mouths of flexible bags, tubular envelopes or other containers in which various commodities are packaged. The apparatus is convenient to may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus and in the method of applying it to use without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. An apparatus 'for crimping the end portion of tubular containers comprising spaced parallel walls forming an opening therebetween, a strip 'between the walls for closing the opening at one side, an abutment between the walls of the opening at one end thereof and extending throughout the depth of the opening, said parallel walls, abutment and strip forming a pocket for enclosing the :entire end of a container inserted through the open side of the opening, and a slide in the opening between thc'walls thereof andof'a width equal to the depth of .the opening, said slide slidable toward the end abutment.

2. An apparatus for crimping the end portion 'of tubular containers comprising spaced parallel walls of a width equal to the length of the end portion of the container to be crimped, a third wall closing the opening at one side and adapted to be engaged by the end of a container inserted between the first-named walls, an abutment adjustable between the parallel walls longitudinally thereof to vary the width of the opening, said parallel walls and abutment forming a pocket for enclosing the entire end of the container to be crimped, and a slide slidable in the opening between the parallel walls and of a width equal to the depth of the opening.

3. An apparatus forcrimping the end portion of tubular containers comprising spaced opposed walls forming a rectangular open-sided pocket of atdepth equal to the length of the end portion of the container to be crimped, a shelf for guiding the containers into the open side of the pocket, and a slide forming one side of the pocket and movable toward the opposite side to crimp the end of the-container in a series of folds.

4. An apparatus for crimpingthe end portion of tubular containers comprising spaced'opposed walls forming a rectangular pocket having an open side and of a depth equal to the length of the end portion of the container to be crimped, a shelf for guiding the containers into the open side of the pocket, a slide forming one side of the pocket and movable toward the opposite-side to crimp the end of the container in a series of folds,

and manually-operative means for sliding the slide toward the opposite side of the pocket.

5. An apparatus for crimping the end portion of tubular containers comprising spaced parallel ,plates forming an opening therebetween, a strip portion of its length, pins extending between the r plates and through the slot in the slide toguide it for movement toward and away from the end abutment, said plates, strip, end abutment and slide forming a pocket for receiving and enclosing the entire end of a container to be crimped, a treadle, means connected with the treadle for operating the slide towardthe end abutment, and a spring for returning the slide to first position when the 'treadle is released;

ARTHUR H. MAYNARD. 

